Local middle-school students shot hoops and ran drills at basketball camps hosted by two of the state’s largest universities this summer, thanks to Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships from Central Electric.

Eric Jernigan, from Carthage, and Nathan McGehee, from Sanford, both attended the Roy Williams Carolina Basketball Camp June 17-21 at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Gracie Olive, from Cameron, took to the court June 18-22 at the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp June 11-14 at N.C. State University in Raleigh.

“These scholarships are a fantastic way for young athletes to experience life on a college campus and learn from mentors at their favorite NCAA athletic programs,” said Janet Jackson, Central Electric’s Touchstone Energy Sports Camp coordinator. “At Central, we’re proud to continue the tradition of providing outstanding local students, like Eric, Nathan and Gracie, with opportunities to develop fundamental skills that will help them excel on the court and in the classroom.”

Eric, Nathan and Gracie earned the all-expense paid scholarships by completing an application that included academics, community involvement and enthusiasm for sports. They are three of 54 students selected in a competitive evaluation process to receive Touchstone Energy Sports Camp Scholarships from North Carolina’s electric cooperatives this year.

At camp, students stayed in dorms on campus and worked alongside coaches to hone basketball skills and practice working cooperatively with teammates. The staff of the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp included N.C. State women’s basketball coach Wes Moore, and his coaching staff and players. Three-time NCAA national champion coach Roy Williams, his staff, and current and past Tar Heel basketball players led the Roy Williams camp.

This is the 14th year North Carolina’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives have sponsored young women to attend an N.C. State women’s basketball camp and the 12th year the cooperatives have sent young men to the Roy Williams camp. The co-ops’ partnership with universities provides a unique educational and athletic opportunity for our state’s youth and keeps with Touchstone Energy’s core values of accountability, integrity, innovation and commitment to community.